How to Trim a Bonsai Tree By: Jon Ziemer Modified by Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office June 2002

Introduction In the next few minutes I am going to tell you how to get started and how to care for a Bonsai tree.

What is Bonsai Practiced for centuries in China and Japan, bonsai is the reproduction of natural tree forms in miniature. Bonsai trees are living miniature trees which increase in beauty and value as they mature over the years. The selecting of a pot suitable to the beauty of the tree, and the arranging of small stones or figurines at its base. Bonsai is an art.

Materials Needed Bonsai containers 9-to-20-gauge copper or painted aluminum wire (for shaping) Screen wire (to cover drain hole) Potting medium and gravel Chopsticks or similar sharp sticks Pruners (some should be for fine work) Potted plants (to be trained to bonsai)

Example of Bonsai

Getting Started Step 1: The trunk is shortened by 2/3 with a concave cutter. Tip: It's fairly easy to grow a new plant from the old top.

Step 2: The trunk is wired with 1/8" aluminum wire. As the trunk is about 1 inch in diameter, twin wiring will be required in order to get it into the desired shape.

Step 3: Remove all the leaves. New smaller leaves will grow back in a few weeks time, inducing new branches on the tree.

Step 4: The trunk is carefully plied into an "S" shape. In a few months time, it will keep it's basic shape and the wires can be removed.

Further Along the Bonsai Road After one month After three months

How to Care For an Indoor Tree The plant receives at least two hours of direct sun. Avoid using normal household filament and fluorescent lamps as they do not emit light at the right wavelengths for healthy plant growth

Heat and Humidity It is bad to subject plant to sudden temperature changes They should not be placed near a heat source. Don’t place on window sills Stand your trees on trays full of gravel immersed in water. Evaporation of the water will provide a moist microclimate around the tree.

Rotating Trees Rotate so all side of tree gets light. The side that doesn’t get light will shed the branches.

Watering The top layer of soil must be allowed to dry down an inch before watering. Use a fine-spray bonsai watering can is not available, put your bonsai in the sink, fill the sink with water until it reaches the rim of the bonsai container, let it sit for 15 minutes Other methods will wash soil particles out of the pot. Frequent misting of foliage does not contribute to soil problems, and is a good method for increasing humidity.

Conclusion After watching and hearing about how to get started and how to care for a bonsai tree I hope you learned more about them and that they are not that difficult to have,